The Education Bureau (EDB) is issuing circular memoranda today and tomorrow (October 8 and 9) to all primary, secondary and special schools and kindergartens to inform them of the details about the provision of relief grants under the third round of the Anti-epidemic Fund for suppliers of catering services for schools and providers of interest classes and school bus services for schools. The EDB has also distributed application forms through the post-secondary education institutions to the catering outlets operating on their campuses.
A spokesman for the EDB said that one-off relief grants under the third round of the Anti-epidemic Fund will be provided to the suppliers and service providers concerned as their services and income were affected during periods of suspension of classes and cessation of on-campus activities. The additional expenditure is estimated to be $248.9 million. Details are as follows:
(1) Operators of catering outlets (namely tuck shops, canteens and restaurants) at primary schools, secondary schools and post-secondary education institutions: a one-off relief grant of $40,000 to each outlet;
(2) Lunchbox providers of primary and secondary schools: a one-off relief grant of $5,000 per school each provider is serving;
(3) School bus drivers, school private light bus drivers and escorts (commonly called "nannies"): a one-off relief grant of $6,700 for each driver and $6,700 per vehicle for escorts (the subsidy of $6,700 will be shared among nannies based on their proportion of service time if more than one nanny serve in the same vehicle);
(4) Instructors, coaches, trainers and operators of interest classes engaged by schools: a one-off relief grant of $5,000 to each operator/service provider.
Depending on the disbursement arrangements for respective grants, the EDB will generally effect payment in about a month upon receipt of duly completed and certified application forms.
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